CID on Interpol hunt for Mahendran

The CID will initiate the procedure to lodge an application with Sri Lanka Interpol tomorrow, seeking a Red Notice to locate and arrest Sri Lanka’s former Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran, a senior official of the Attorney General’s Department told the Sunday Observer yesterday. The Attorney General’s Department advised the CID to apply for the Interpol Red Notice on Mahendran, after Fort Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne issued an arrest warrant on him, when the CID informed the Magistrate that he had ignored summons issued earlier to appear before Courts on March 8.

Mahendran, a Singapore national, is believed to be currently living in Singapore. However, officials have not been able to trace him at his former address in that country.

The senior official said they expect the Interpol notice to be issued within 72 hours. “After an application with the warrant of arrest is submitted, there is an internal procedure, which takes about 72 hours. We were able to obtain the red notice on Udayanga Weeratunga within 72 hours,” the official added.

However, the final decision to issue the Red Notice lies with the Interpol,

in keeping with their internal procedures. “But once it is issued it will be obligatory on all member states to respect the red notice, however, that will vary based on the domestic laws of each country,” the senior official explained.

The two other suspects of the Bond scam, the former CB Governor’s son-in-law, Arjun Aloysius and the CEO of his company, Kasun Palisena were further remanded till March 29. Their repeated bail applications have been turned down following objections by the CID and the Attorney General’s Department.